India, Pakistan Exchange Lists Of Prisoners

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India and Pakistan on Friday exchanged a list of civilian prisoners and fishermen in their detention. This is a routine practice based on the 2008 agreement provisions on consular access. This list is exchanged every year on January 1 and July 1.

The Indian side submitted a list of 309 Pakistani civil prisoners and 95 fishermen who were in Indian detention to Pakistan. Pakistan shared a list of 49 civilian prisoners and 633 fishermen in progress who were Indians or believed to be Indians, according to a press release by the Ministry of External Affairs.

India had previously called for the initial release and repatriation of the missing Indian defense personnel, civilian detainees and fishermen along with their ships from Pakistani detention.

Pakistan was urged by the Indian government to accelerate the return of 536 Indian fishermen and 3 Indians who completed their sentences and their citizenship had been confirmed and delivered to Pakistan.Islamabad was also asked to provide direct consular access to the remaining 105 fishermen and 20 civilians who were believed to be India and were under Pakistani detention.

The release said the government was committed to dealing with all humanitarian issues related to prisoners and fishermen in their respective countries between other problems.

The government asked Pakistan to take the necessary action to confirm the status of citizenship of 57 Pakistani prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatrians were delayed due to non-confirmation of nationality by Pakistan.

Because Pandemi Covid-19, Pakistan was also urged to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian civilian prisoners and fishermen who were believed.

According to a report by The Hindustan Times, nearly 83 defense personnel were missing, including war prisoners that occurred between the two countries in 1965 and 1971, languishing in prison -Pakistani prison, the Ministry of External Affairs to the Supreme Court this year in April.Of the 83 there are at least 62 war prisoners while 21 others are believed to be in captivity in Pakistan.

Written statement was submitted in response to the request by Kamla Bhattacharjee, the mother of Captain Sanjit Bhattacharjee who along with other Indian Army people disappeared while patrolling along the Indo-Pak border at Rann Kutch, Gujarat.